Short Story: CHIJOKE GOES TO LAGOS

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Once upon once upon a Time, chijioke lived with his mother in a village which lies in the heart of Abia state. When he finished his basic education, he wanted to go to a good secondary school but there was no money to send him there and chijioke's mother was very sick and as such could not afford chijioke's fees.

One evening she call chijioke to sit with her and she said; chijioke my son I know how much you want to go to school and you know I will support you but I do not have the money to further your secondary school education that is why I am bringing this to you now. she then proceeded to tell chijoke about his father.

Normally, chijioke has been hearing about his father from his mum on some occasions. chijioke only knew that his father abandoned his mother and went to live with his new family in Lagos City with his children. Sometimes he wondered what could have happened and why his family were not together but his mum told him that they fell apart and his father left and went to start his new family in Lagos State.

The only memory chijoke had of his father was a photo of him and that was all. So when his mother presented the opportunity for him to go and live with his father in order for him to further his secondary school education in one of the best schools, he felt this as an opportunity to get to know his father who he had never seen ever since he was born.

The day chijioke was set to go to Lagos, he was really scared because as a young boy of 11 years he had never travelled alone. He reluctantly accepted knowing he has an expectation in order to relieve his mother from her burdens. When he was put on the bus, his mother hugged him tightly and told him to take care of himself.

He knew very well that he was going to miss his mother's so much especially as she was ill but the mother was insistent on him going to school and only wanted the best for him.

Chijioke was squashed in between two fat people who was also traveling to Lagos. He felt so tiny and belittle inside the taxi and he was scared because he was just by himself. The journey from chijioke's village to Lagos took almost a day's .

At some point, it looked as if the driver was losing control of the steering and the Passengers started shouting and screaming with so much anxiety and fright.

Chijioke was scared and he immediately gave way to tears as the hope of arriving Lagos safety seemed abortive. The elderly woman who was sitting beside him comforted him and bought him food that made him feel better on the remaining hours of the journey.

Chijioke arrived Lagos the next day although he had no address of his father. The only thing he knew was that his father was a lawyer and he had a photo of him. So when the woman asked him who he came to meet, he told her but he could not tell her where he could find his father because he did not know who his father was or his name.

But good enough for chijioke, he already knew someone from the village who came to Lagos and he had the address of the person. So when he eventually found his way there, he found out that the guy, Okon was living with his brother in a one room in the slums of Lagos.

They welcomed him happily and he told him of his journey and how he came to Lagos to find his father. When they asked him of any identity they could use or his father address and he could not provide. They started laughing profusely and asked him how he was going to find his father in this populated city but he still did not give up hope.

Few days later, chijioke started working in the house. The eldest brother would go to work while Okon would stay in the house and help his brother set out a small table where they sold petty provisions.

It continued for weeks until one day, chijoke told Okon that he can't keep on staying with them for long that he had to find his father and that they should help him or he will go out himself. So the elder brother told them that he was going to take them out since it was his day off from work to the popular bar beach in Victoria Island Lagos.

Okon and chijioke were excited and so they dressed up and ready to go there. When they reached the beach, they saw plenty people there having fun. Chijioke secretly wish that he could find his father in this beach. So while they were having fun, suddenly someone raised an alarm that a young girl had drowned while trying to swim and the waves had carried her.

People started gathering to the place and chijioke saw some people crying and assume that must have been the family of the girl. Few seconds later, the girl's head popped out of the water and she was screaming and out of impulse, chijoke jumped into the water with the strokes he learnt because he was used to swimming in the river of the village.

He swam very fast and rescued the girl and brought her to her parents. Her parents thanked chijioke amicably and chijioke immediately noticed the father of the girl looks similar to the one he had on his picture, he could not believe his eyes that he had just found his father.

After all the mandem had calmed down, chijioke approached the man and showed him the picture. chijioke father was very surprised. With tears in his eyes, he hugged chijioke and went to tell his wife that he just found his son. Chijioke was the only son since his father had three girls with his new wife.

But the wife was a very pleasant woman and kind and that was how chijioke said goodbye to his Lagos friends and came to live with his father in Lagos. He finally found his father and he was happy.

What a happy ending!!

Cc,
@patjewell
@ngoenyi